We have a so called "soul father" in Ethiopian orthodox phase...The soul fathers are elderly church priests...you go and tell all your sin and wrong doings...you ordered to do good tasks to compensate...the more you go and share your problems, your issues the more they become "soul friends/father...." because you doing this for God's sake...probably a few similarity here...
ORIGINAL COMMENT
We have a so called "soul father" in Ethiopian orthodox phase...The soul fathers are elderly church priests...you go and tell all your sin and wrong doings...you ordered to do good tasks to compensate...the more you go and share your problems, your issues the more they become "soul friends/father...." because you doing this for God's sake...probably a few similarity here...